Chapter 12
Land, Public Works and Utilities
The Government's objective is to design and develop Hong Kong into an advanced international city and to foster and facilitate its continued development through effective land use planning, adequate land supply, quality building and maintenance standards, and timely urban renewal.
To sustain its economic growth, Hong Kong continues to invest in infrastructure and capital works projects and to ensure coordination in public and private sector development.
The Government remains committed to building new infrastructure and improving existing facilities to meet the needs of Hong Kong's economic development. It continues to invest heavily on infrastructure development.
Work on major infrastructure projects was on schedule in 2006. Construction of Route 8 and the third phase of Central Reclamation were in full swing. The Government is pressing ahead with other major capital works projects which include the Tamar development project, the replacement and rehabilitation of water mains stage 2, Prince of Wales Hospital's extension block, redevelopment of the Lo Wu Correctional Institution and Customs Headquarters Building in North Point.
It will cost $9 billion to build these projects. Work will start in 2007. The projects will provide a substantial number of jobs for people in the construction industry.
Work on improving the environment continued throughout the year. The Government pressed on with its territory-wide greening programme which included the planting of millions of plants in urban areas and countryside. About 10 million plants were planted in 2006. The Government organises a series of community activities to promote greening. Some 90 such activities were held this year alone.
In addition, the Government is actively pursuing the development and implementation of Greening Master Plans (GMPs) for the vast majority of urban areas. Works for Central and Tsim Sha Tsui are due for completion in early 2007. Funds were also approved in December 2006 for studies of GMPs for Sheung Wan/Wan Chai/Causeway Bay and Mong Kok/Yau Ma Tei to be carried out in 2007.
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